Safer And Stronger Cities: Strategies For Advocating For Policy

Cities nationwide are managing the devastating human and economic impacts of an increasing number of disasters, while working to address the everyday challenges arising from changing economic systems, systemic disinvestment in vulnerable communities and accelerating population growth. Working together, cities and their partners have identified many actions that cities can take to increase their resilience, but mayors and city staff cannot do this work alone. Cities rely on partnerships, in many cases with the Federal Government, to make their cities safer and more resilient.

This report offers a menu of federal recommendations organized into four chapters focusing on infrastructure, housing, economic development and public safety. Each chapter includes a set of strategies, background on the issue, explanations of the role of the Federal Government, listing of potential allies in advocating for the recommendations, and relevant examples of current or previous local, state, and federal actions. These federal policy recommendations provide a framework for cities and their champions to advocate for a collective federal resilience agenda.

The strategies here are designed to be both ambitious and politically viable, so that in coming years, cities can better use federal resources to ensure the safety, security and stability their residents deserve. This report also identifies potential allies in other organizations advocating for federal solutions to better support communities. We hope that these recommendations will prove useful to cities eager to see federal reforms that can further resilience.